Masters Indoor Nationals 2023 - Day 2/ plan for pre world training

I pretty much laid around all day Saturday and decided I wasn't going to race in the 800m on Sunday early morning since I had no chance to win, and our 4x800m relay went off at 8:30 pm. Joe ended up winning the 800m M60 US title this morning in 2:18.74 (right at about my '21 800m PR),  following 2 Canadian in 2:15 who were competing exhibition.  We failed in our attempt at the American Record, just didn't have the horses and all of the relay team but me had raced a 1500m earlier that same day, plus two of our guys were M65 coming down to M60. We weren't even close, off by 17 sec. However, we beat all of the non club teams except for the M35 group, and 10 of the 14 club teams. We needed to average 2:27 and we just averaged 2:31. Joe was the only one who broke 2:27. To balance out Michael's time we all would have had to run 2:24. They probably could've done it if fresh, and I could've given a better effort if necessary. When I got the baton, I knew the record was not possible. I went out too fast, running the first 400m in 69.3, then by the time I got to the last lap, I pretty much gave up and finished in 2:30.61, my last 200m split being a ridiculously slow 42. I was suffering on that last lap due to going out so fast.

4x800m relay - Me, Joe, Michael, David

Our team splits were:

Joe - 2:26.12 (72.93, 73.19) 

Dave - 2:34.50 (77.56, 76.94  

Michael - 2:36.28 (76.78, 79.50)  

Me - 2:30.61 (69.31, 81.30) 

You can see the difference between these seasoned distance runners and me in pacing.  

Before the race, my knee was still feeling a bit weird but afterward, it actually felt better.  I wish I had some good physio tape, the budget tape I had wasn't sticking.  (I just ordered some good tape).  My foot was pretty sore though.  I did race in the padded Hoka spikes.  It was really a good and needed conditioning workout.  

I do think I could have won the 200m title because Ron won it in 26.29.  Alan and Don aren't running it.  I just didn't want to take any chances of injury since I haven't raced a 200m since 12/17/21, a long time ago when I had my L proximal ham injury.

Today, Sunday, I'm off from the track for a needed rest.  I do feel like I've lost peak fitness and am a lb or 2 heavier.  

Moving forward

It's fairly obvious that I peaked too soon for this meet, so I'm going to roughly try and replicate the training regime I had going into my Sunday and Monday time trials.  If I were to follow it exactly, this would be my pre-world workout schedule for the next 2 weeks:

Mon:

'split 700' - 500m - 80.47 (62.90, 17.57) - 90 sec rest - 200m - 33.82 

4x70m 130 lb sled pulls 

Tues:

4x200m w/ 1min rest - 30.47, 31.23, 31.82, 31.28 (avg 31.20) 

300m - 44.75  

Wed: 

200m - 26.56 (12.82, 13.74) 

100m - 13.87 4 x 75 yd w/ 140 lb sled 

Fri: 

800m - 2:28.85 (31.75, 38.13, 39.56, 38.21 / 70.38, 78.47) 

4 x 80 yd sprints with 130 lb sled 

Sun: 4 x 300m w/ 3 min rest - 47.31, 48.53, 51.41, 52.85 (Avg 50.02) 

Tues:

100m on turf - 15.00

400m - 60.17 (15.10, 15.23, 14.22, 15.63 / 30.32, 29.85) 

200m - 27.82 1 x 130lb sled pull - 80 yards 

Wed:

'split 700' - 500m - 80.59 (63.47, 17.12) / 90 sec rest / 200m - 33.16 

'split 400' - 300m - 44.31 / 60 sec rest / 100m - 14.35 

Sat (will do Friday am or when I get to Poland on Sat)

2 x 200m w/ 1 min rest - 27.39, 30.96 200m - 28.23

Travel Friday-Sat. 

Race: 400m - Sun, Mon, Tues, rest Wed, 200m - Thurs, Fri, relays - Saturday.

We'll see how this goes, I'll just have to listen to my body.  Being uninjured and healthy is #1.  Unfortunately, the weather is not what it has been the past few weeks, which will make it even more challenging.  We are going back to colder temperatures with the first freezing weather in a month.  Next ten days .... Monday and Tues - sunny but cold and windy, wind chills in the mid 30ºs.  Friday - rain, wind, in the mid 50ºs.  Sat-Sun - sunny, windchills low 40ºs, Mon - low 50ºs sunny, Tues - 50ºs, showers.  At least we have longer days and later sunsets.  This is going to be hard.  If I were retired, I'd go to better weather to train the next 2 weeks.  

Weight right now is ok, exactly 140.0 lbs